Emily and the horses
by moonstar57
Summary: Emily takes a trip and falls in love with horses all over again.


_Live out of your imagination instead of your memory_

_Leo Brown_

When Hotchner told the team to disappear for a few days, to take a much  
earned break, Emily jumped into her car and just started driving.  
Now a on the second day, she found herself in Kentucky. Wow it is so  
beautiful here she thought. Lots of huge fields filled with hay, or  
horses. Horses of every color and size. Horses running, eating, playing.  
She thought she needed a break from driving so she stopped her car and got out. She  
walked a little ways down the lane and was looking back across the road at  
a beautiful mare and foal. No one at the BAU knew but Emily was quite a  
horsewoman. She had learned to ride when she was 4 and every chance she  
got she would ride. She had found a stable not too far from her house and  
went there to ride when she could. She even helped in the stables every  
now and then. It was what she had found to help her get through the crap  
she ran into at her job. Don't get me wrong Emily thought, I love my job.  
But it takes a lot out of you. And being around horses helped her forget  
the pain in this world and helped her to see the good. She had even been  
toying with the idea of buying her own horse. She had always wanted one.  
Maybe that is why she came to Kentucky. Lost in her own thought she almost  
didn't hear the "Get down" coming from somewhere behind her. Years of  
being with the FBI paid off though, her body knew what to do with that command  
and she fell to the ground. A second later she looked up to see this  
beautiful golden horse come flying over the fence and her. The horse ran  
down the road a little then started to slow. The guy on the horse turned  
it around and rode back to Emily.

The guy slide (he was riding bareback, that's pretty cool Emily thought)  
off the horse and said, "I am so sorry. Sometimes King here gets a little  
head strong and takes over. And he loves to jump. Anyhow, are you OK? We  
didn't hurt you or anything did we?"

Emily stood up and brushed off her clothes to give her a minute to think.  
This guy is really cute. And he has some muscles too. He had blond hair,  
long enough to touch the top of his collar. Blue eyes a woman could get  
lost in. After all that thinking she said, "I'm fine. And if you will let me

pet King all will be forgotten." "I'm Rory," he said. "And King will let

you pet him I am sure. He likes a pretty woman." Emily walked slowing

up to King. She put her hand out, palm up. King sniffed it and then

snorted at her. Emily took a couple of more steps and reached out

and patted King. What a truly magnificent animal she thought. Two

of them, with a quick glance at Rory.

Rory let King eat while him and Emily talked. They talked about horses

mostly. Emily told him she knew to ride but never seemed to have enough

time to do it. Rory told her that was his job, exercising the horses for a

ranch up the road. Emily said, "That sounds like a wonderful job." Rory

said, "It really is. I grew up around horses, heck my mom tells me all

the time I preferred the horses to people. She always knew if she couldn't

find I would be in the stables, sometimes laying in one of the horses stalls

sound asleep." Then they continued talking. At one point Emily thought

it was really nice to not hear unsub or death or killing all the time.

Finally, after they noticed King was getting impatient, Rory asked Emily,  
"If you going to be in town for a day or so, will you let me take you out  
to dinner to make up for King jumping over your head?" Emily laughed.  
"I'm just passing through, but if I can find a place to spend the night  
I'll let you take me out to dinner." Rory said, "There is a bed &  
breakfast down the road about 5 miles called, The Stable. It's a really  
nice place, neat, clean, and ran by a couple I have known almost my whole  
life. I am sure they have a room, that is if you like the place. I'll  
call there later and if they tell me you are there I'll pick you up at 7, OK?

Emily thought it sounded wonderful! "See you then, oh how should I dress?"

Emily wanted to know. Rory who by now was on the horse said"Oh it's pretty

casual, anything pretty much goes there. Bye." And him and King took off  
galloping down the road the opposite way than what Emily needed to go. She  
watched them for a few minutes and she couldn't tell who she was watching  
more, Rory or King.

Emily found the B & B, and it was indeed neat and clean, and it had  
a room. With its own bathroom. It was a real pretty room, painted light  
blue with several horse pictures on the walls. The comfortable and  
pillow cases had horses on them too. Emily thought you can really tell  
this is horse country. She decided to take a little nap before needing to  
get ready. She fell asleep instantly and woke up refreshed and anxious for  
the evening to begin.

Emily looked through the clothes she bought and finally decided on a black  
dress she had forgotten she threw in. It didn't make too bold of a  
statement, but it did help show up some of her curves. She went and took a  
shower and got ready. When she was all ready she found that she had about 30  
minutes to spare.

When she went down the female half of the team Chrissy told her, "You look  
really lovely. And that will fit in just fine where Rory is taking you."  
To which Emily replied, "And where would that be? Rory didn't tell me."

But Chrissy wouldn't tell her, said it was up to Rory to tell.

Rory arrived right on time. He told her she looked beautiful. He was so

polite opening the car door for her. On the way to dinner he told her he

was taking her to a famous rib place. She didn't have to have rib if she

didn't want to, it was just a good fun place to eat at.

Emily had a great time at dinner. Rory was so funny and bright. And not  
bad to look at, which always helped.

After dinner they went and walked along the river. It was so peaceful here  
Emily thought. They found a grassy knoll to sit on, and watch a herd of  
horses play across the river. Then Rory got to telling Emily about the  
horses on the ranch, how they sometimes acted like humans. He told her  
some of the funny stories about how they came to have their names, Push  
because he would push all the other horses, Jumper because he would rather  
jump than eat, Mona Lisa because she had a smile just like what was in the  
portrait. "I'm not lying Emily," he said. "That gives me an idea. Why  
don't you come over tomorrow around 11:00 am and I will have Mona and King  
ready and we can go for a ride and then stop somewhere and have a picnic  
lunch? You don't have to leave in the morning, do you?" The last was said  
so pitifully that Emily just had to laugh at him. "No, I can stay another  
day," Emily said crossing her fingers. Maybe she could lose her phone? No  
that wouldn't work, but it was a nice idea.

It had gotten dark while they were talking; now the watched the stars start  
to appear in the night sky. First there was one, then two, then three,  
then a million. Or so it seemed. The moon was resting on the horizon, and  
it was big and bright. Like a storybook Emily thought. She and Rory sat  
there for some time, holding hands, enjoying the sky, moon, and each other.  
Emily could not remember the last time she relaxed like this. Certainly  
not since she joined the BAU.

Finally Rory stood up and then reached down and helped Emily up. They were  
standing toe to toe and Rory said, "May I kiss you Emily. I've been  
waiting to since we met." Emily nodded and Rory leaned over and  
kissed her. It was a very gentle kiss, but a kiss that had enough in it to  
promise more if she wanted it. I didn't see that coming Emily thought when  
Rory pulled away.

They walked back to the car and then Rory drove her back to the B & B. He  
walked Emily to the door and leaned in for another kiss, this one with a  
little more force but still gentle. They said good-night and she went in.  
This is so unbelievable Emily thought.

She slept better than she had in a long time. She didn't even have any  
nightmares like she had so many nights since joining the BAU. And in the  
morning she woke up refreshed and alive and happy. She was humming while  
she was in the shower. Yes life was really good.

She left in plenty of time to met Rory, but he was at the end of the drive  
up to the house waiting for her. And when she got out, she saw Mona Lisa did have  
that smile. She patted Mona and spent a few minutes getting to know her.  
Rory had even brought some sugar so Emily gave that to Mona in hopes Mona  
would warm up to her. It worked and in no time Emily was up in the saddle  
and they were riding through the trees. The fall colors were in full bloom  
which made everything even more glorious. Rory and Emily talked some while  
riding but most of the time they just rode in a very comfortable silence.

They finally came to the spot Rory was looking for. It overlooked a  
beautiful meadow and horses were everywhere the eye could see. They got  
down, unsaddled the horses, hobbled them so they could eat and sat down  
themselves to eat. The food was wonderful, Emily told Rory to give her  
compliments to the chef. Rory just beamed! "You put all this together  
Rory?" When he nodded, she said, "Wow, a man with many talents." And this  
time it was Emily that leaned over for a kiss. When they finished kissing  
Rory lay down and he patted his chest. Emily got the hint. She lay down  
also with her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating. Rory  
stroked her hair and it felt so good Emily never wanted it to end.

Finally Rory said "We need to get moving. I would like to take you  
somewhere this evening if that is OK" When Emily nodded Rory told her  
to dress very, very casual. But he wouldn't tell her where he was taking  
her. They saddled the horses and rode back to Emily's car. Emily kissed  
Mona on the nose and thanked her so much for the ride. Then she and Rory  
kissed and Emily headed back to the B & B. When she got back there and got  
into her room, Emily realized she was feeling a little bit guilty about  
being away from the gang at the Bau. She tried calling JJ, no answer. She  
tried calling Rossi, no answer. One more she thought then I give up. She  
called Morgan. No answer. OK, I'm not feeling guilty anymore.

When Rory picked her up, he was driving a pickup. A nice pickup, but a  
pickup this time. He was dressed in jeans and t-shirt and was even wearing  
a cowboy hat. And lo and behold, he had a matching one for Emily. He put  
it on her, told her she looked fantastic and gave her a big kiss. Finally  
he said, "We better go, or we'll be late." "Where are we going" Emily  
asked again. "Can't tell you but you will see soon enough."

About twenty minutes later Emily figured it out. When they pulled up to  
the fairgrounds with all the horse trailers and horses around. When they  
got out Emily threw her arms around Rory and said, "I have always wanted to  
see a rodeo. Thanks so much!!" And they kissed. Then they broke apart and  
hurried to find a seat.

The rodeo was everything she had imagined and more. She hadn't realized  
how colorful it was, with the queens and princesses even decorating there  
horses. And how graceful watching the barrel riding the girls did. The  
bull riding scared her some; she just couldn't imagine someone getting on  
one of them. Thank goodness for the clowns, they kept the bulls away from  
the riders that come off the bulls and took time to make the crowd laugh  
also. It was superb!!

After the rodeo, Rory took her over to the carnival! They ate and walked  
around and Rory even won her a little purple horse. Then they went on some  
of the rides. Emily thought they tried them all. They were on the Ferris  
wheel and up on top when it stopped. Rory turned to Emily and said, "I am  
so thankful I met you. You are truly an awesome lady." And he kissed her  
all the way to the ground.

They walked around again, enjoying the night. Emily didn't want it to end.  
It was so perfect. So surreal.

The evening came to an end and Rory took Emily home. When they got there,  
he asked if he could see her tomorrow. What else could she say but yes.  
He walked her to the door; they kissed for a very long time. Then she went  
in and Rory left. Emily was floating up the stairs, holding her purple  
horse. She got undressed for bed and thought, life has never been this  
good. Soon she was asleep dreaming of Rory.

And then she woke up. To find she wasn't in Kentucky anymore. She was

in a white room and she heard a beep beep beep. What the hell was going

on she thought? Oh, her head hurt so bad. She reached up to touch it when she  
felt someone move on her right, put her hand back down tell her in Rossi's voice,  
"Don't try to talk Emily; you've been out a long time." Emily totally confused

and almost in tears said, 'What happened." And Rossi said, "You surprised

the unsub and he hit you really hard on the left side of your head. The

doctors were really worried about you, you weren't coming too like they thought  
you should. You have been here for 5 days now. We all knew you would pull

through. The doctors said when you did come too they would have to keep

you for a couple of days longer to see if your brain and memory was affected.

It's really great seeing you awake. Reid is in the waiting room, I'll go get him

to come sit with you, then I'll call the others. We have all been really

worried about you."

He left and Emily tried to make sense of it all. Could this just be something her

mind made up to help her while she was out? Was Rory real? But how could he

be real, she had been here for 5 days? She was so confused and her head hurt.  
Just then she heard Reid come in. He came up beside her and said, "I'm so glad

you are awake Emily. So glad you are back with us. Here I bought you a little

waking up gift." He held it up for Emily to see and what she saw was the horse

Rory had won for her at the carnival. She reached up and took it from Reid, she

wanted to say thanks but was afraid she might cry. She started to drift again, and she

was telling herself, "Rory. King, and Mona are real. This horse I have clutched to

my chest proves that. I have to get well so I can go find them. And as she was

drifting off, to sleep and heal, Reid picked up her hand and held it. She didn't feel it

but she was comforted none the less.

_Everything you can imagine is real._

_Pablo Picasso_


End file.
